Frequently Asked Questions

Captain's Deck is a dual-pane file manager for macOS. It's inspired by classic "orthodox" file managers like Norton Commander and Midnight Commander, but built with modern macOS technologies. It features side-by-side directory panels, powerful keyboard navigation, built-in terminal, remote server connections (SFTP, FTP, S3), and much more.

Captain's Deck requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later. It runs natively on both Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4) and Intel Macs. We recommend the latest macOS version for the best experience.

Finder is great for casual use, but power users often need more. Captain's Deck offers dual-pane navigation (see two folders at once), keyboard-driven workflow, built-in terminal, remote server access, archive browsing, and more. If you frequently copy files between folders, work with servers, or prefer keyboard over mouse, Captain's Deck will transform your workflow.

Yes! Captain's Deck is available on the Mac App Store. Due to Apple's sandboxing requirements, some power features like the built-in terminal, JavaScript plugins, and privileged file operations aren't available in the App Store version. All core file management features work identically in both versions. See the full comparison to decide which version is right for you.

No. Captain's Deck Pro is a one-time purchase of €19.99. Pay once, use forever. Your purchase includes lifetime free updates - you'll always have access to the latest version at no additional cost.

Each Pro license (€19.99) is valid for 1 Mac. If you need multiple licenses, the Team pack offers 5 licenses for €69.99 - a 30% savings compared to buying individually. Perfect for small teams or if you have multiple machines.

After the 14-day trial ends, Pro features (terminal, remote connections, Git integration, workspaces, visual diff, Norton Commander theme, 7z/RAR archives, admin mode, plugins) will be locked. You can continue using the basic dual-pane file browser, tabs, and ZIP browsing for free. Upgrade anytime to unlock everything.

Yes. We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. If Captain's Deck isn't right for you, email us within 30 days of purchase and we'll issue a full refund. We want you to be happy with your purchase.

Yes! We offer 50% off for students and educators with a valid .edu email. For teams of 6 or more, contact us for volume licensing options with significant discounts.

Captain's Deck supports both Vim-style (hjkl) and arrow key navigation. Press F1 to see the full keyboard shortcuts overlay. Common shortcuts include: Tab to switch panes, Space for quick preview, Enter to open, Backspace to go up, F5 to copy, F6 to move, F8 to delete, Cmd+G to go to path, and many more.

Yes! Captain's Deck Pro supports SFTP/SSH, FTP/FTPS, SMB, AFP, NFS, WebDAV, and S3-compatible cloud storage (Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Rackspace Cloud Files). Connect to remote servers and cloud storage, then browse them just like local folders. Save connection credentials securely in your macOS Keychain.

Yes! The integration is bidirectional. Navigate to a folder in the file browser and the terminal automatically changes to that directory. Run 'cd' in the terminal and the file browser follows. This works with zsh, bash, and other shells that support OSC 7 escape sequences.

Captain's Deck can browse ZIP, JAR, WAR, IPA, APK archives (free) and 7z, RAR (Pro). Just press Enter on an archive to browse it like a folder. Extract files, search within archives, or create new ZIP/7z archives. Supports encrypted archives with password prompts.

It's a nostalgic DOS-style theme that recreates the look of classic Norton Commander from the 1980s-90s. Blue background, cyan text, retro fonts, and optional effects like CRT scanlines and phosphor glow. Perfect for those who grew up with DOS or just appreciate retro aesthetics.

Yes! Captain's Deck Pro includes a JavaScript plugin system. Create custom context menu items, add new file providers, automate workflows, or integrate with external services. Plugins run in a sandboxed environment with granular permissions. See the documentation for the full API.

Workspaces let you save and restore your working environment. Save both panes' locations as a named workspace, then return to that exact configuration instantly via Window > Workspaces. Great for switching between different projects.

Dropstack is a virtual container for collecting files from multiple locations without moving them. Add files with Cmd+Shift+K, see them in a floating panel, then copy or move all collected files at once to a destination. Toggle visibility with Cmd+Option+K.

Yes! Folder Sync lets you compare and synchronize two directories. See visual differences between folders, perform bidirectional sync, or selectively sync specific files. Integrates with FileMerge for file-level comparisons.

Use App Deleter to completely remove applications and their associated files. Right-click any .app bundle and select "Delete Application", or use Tools > Delete Application. It automatically finds preferences, caches, and support files, then moves everything to Trash for safe recovery if needed.

Yes! See file status badges (modified, added, deleted, untracked) color-coded in the file list. The current branch is shown in the header. Right-click to stage, unstage, or revert changes. Open the Git Status Panel (Cmd+Shift+G) to view all changes, stage files, and commit with a message.

Yes. Captain's Deck is a 100% native macOS app written in Swift with AppKit. No Electron, no web views, no cross-platform frameworks. It uses native macOS APIs throughout, with a high-performance C++ core for file operations. This means fast launch times, low memory usage, and a truly native feel.

Very well! Captain's Deck uses lazy loading and async enumeration to handle directories with hundreds of thousands or even millions of files. The UI remains responsive while loading, and memory usage stays low even for massive directories. No more spinning beach balls.

Admin Mode lets you access system-protected files that require root privileges. It uses Apple's SMJobBless framework for secure privilege escalation. Authenticate once, then seamlessly read and write to protected directories without constant password prompts. Great for system administration tasks.

Captain's Deck stores all data locally on your Mac. We don't collect any usage data, file information, or personal details. Server credentials are stored securely in your macOS Keychain. License validation only sends your license key to verify it (no file data). We take privacy seriously.